Chennai: A local court on Monday directed DMK chief M Karunanidhi and editor, printer and publisher of party mouthpiece 'Murasoli' Selvam to appear before it on April 29 with regard to two defamation cases filed against them by the Tamil Nadu government.

Principal Sessions Judge P Kalaiarasan directed the DMK chief and Selvam to appear before him on that day.

The state government had filed the defamation complaint on February 8 over Karunanidhi's remarks against Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on the reasons behind delay in release of actor Kamal Haasan's controversial spy thriller 'Vishwaroopam.'

Karunanidhi in an article titled 'Poonaikutti Veliye Vandhuvittathu' (The cat is out of the bag) had cited reports suggesting that a TV channel close to AIADMK wanted to buy the film but the producers had refused, saying they had spent over Rs 100 crore, a charge refuted by the Chief Minister.

He had also referred to reports that at a recent function Hassan wanted a 'dhoti clad' Tamilian to become the Prime Minister', an apparent reference to P Chidambaram.

Another case was filed by the government on behalf of a state minister over an article published by 'Murasoli' on Aug 23, 2012 where the DMK chief criticised the functioning of ministers.